Winter coats tip off Harris deputy before bank robbery

By Robert Stanton |
April 30, 2013
| Updated: April 30, 2013 5:07pm

Harris County sheriff's deputies investigate the daylight robbery Tuesday of Community Bank of Texas in Crosby.

Two suspects are in custody and a third is being sought in connection with the robbery Tuesday of Community Bank of Texas in Crosby, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

A sheriff's deputy driving near the bank at 14100 FM 2100 saw two men exiting a minivan about 1:45 p.m. and wearing heavy coats, which seemed suspicious because the temperature was in the 70s, sheriff's investigators said. The deputy returned to the scene and saw two men leaving the bank after they had robbed it.

One of the men fired at the deputy, hitting the deputy's vehicle. The deputy returned fire and apparently did not hit the suspects, who ran to a nearby car dealership and stole a truck, according to a press release issued by Harris County SO.

With officers in pursuit, one of the robbers was dropped off at a nearby apartment complex, where he got into another vehicle driven by a third suspect. A state trooper who had received a description of that vehicle intercepted it. The robber and the third suspect were arrested.

Investigators were searching for the other suspect, who they believe fired the gun at the deputy. The fugitive suspect, who apparently shed his winter coat during the chase, is described as being in his early to mid 20s and wearing dark clothing. He was last seen driving a stolen Ford pickup.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call HCSO at 713-967-5810, or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-8477 (TIPS).